Fifty-two countries join 'March against Monsanto'

Over 400 cities in 52 countries joined the March Against Monsanto yesterday with as many as a million people, or more, joining the global protest.

Monsanto has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to obstruct all labeling attempts; they also suppress any research containing results not in their favor.

Yesterday's March Against Monsanto took place in over 400 cities worldwide. A many as a million people are estimated to have joined in the march and other anti-Monsanto protests taking place over 52 countries and 47 US states.

Hundreds of postings on the MAM Facebook page reveal the scale of global anger at Monsanto, with photos of huge demos in Korea, Taiwan, Mexico, Ecuador, Australia, Germany, Ghana, India and dozens of cities across the US.

"Monsanto's predatory business and corporate agricultural practices threatens their generation's health, fertility and longevity. MAM supports a sustainable food production system. We must act now to stop GMOs and harmful pesticides", said Tami Monroe Canal, founder of March Against Monsanto.

Abuses of power

"GMOs are not adequately monitored to ensure public safety. Long term, independent, peer reviewed studies were not conducted before GMOs were introduced for human or animal consumption.

"In the USA, the revolving door between Monsanto employees, government positions, and regulatory authorities has led to key Monsanto figures occupying positions of power at the FDA and EPA. Monsanto has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to obstruct all labeling attempts; they also suppress any research containing results not in their favor.

Protestors were angered at many aspects of Monsanto's operations, but mainly the company's aggressive promotion and deployment of genetically modified (GM) seeds for food crops.

Seeds engineered to resist application of the herbicide glyphosate, sold by Monsanto under its Roundup brand, are responsible for huge increases in blobal use of glyphosate and there is growing evidence of its toxicity to humans and animals eating the GM foodstuffs containing elevated levels of herbicide residues

GMO crops that produce their own insecticide, derived from soil bacteria, are also believed to produce toxic effects in mammals consuming them.

Aggressive monopolism

Monsanto opponents also accuse the company of monopolistic practices as it buys up seed companies around the world, reducing the seed choices available to farmers and cultivators, and often forcing farmers to purchase GMO seeds which in turn rely on herbicide applications.

Anger is also growing at the company's vigorous legal pursuit of farmers accidentally gowing Monsanto GMO seed - even when their fields have been contaminated by neighbouring farms and the farmers being sued derive no advantage from the Monsanto seed.

Monsanto was also the major manufacturer of Agent Orange, the 2,4D based herbicide that was widely sprayed across Vietnam to kill rainforests and destroy crops.